The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1887-03-31
That Famous Veto.

Following is the full text of Gov. Boiwclrs
veto of the medical registration bill:
To THE SENATE OF THE SIXTY THIRD LEGIs-
LATURE:
| herewith return with my objections to the
branch in which il originated IAN act to reg
ulate the practice of medicine"
The objections to the act are numerous, the
most serious of which are contained in the
fourteenth section. After providing that ply
slcians already in practice shall be compelled to
register and pay fee of =: for the privilege,
the section declares that in default of reg>tra-
tion and certiiicaton, physician, regardless of
his years of practice or his professional rank.
may be heavily fined and sent to prison; and
even after that isnominious punishment, he
shall have no right to collect his fees for medi-
cal services. The meaning of the section is
somewhat confused and obscure, but enough is
plain to show that it is i'll open conflict with the
ninth section in the declaration of rights in the
Maine constitution, which declares that "all
penalties and puni>hments shall be proportion
ed to the offence" that "eNccSsive fines shall
not be imposed" that ''cruel and unusual pun
ishment shall not be inflicted" To require
merely perfunctory duty from physician al
ready in practice, and then to enact that if he
fails OF neglects to perform it he shall be made
the prey of the informer. may be fined 800,
imprisoned six months and actually deprived Of
the emoluments and gains of his profession,
would seem to be repu%nant not onl ly to the let
of the State. The third section of the act pro-
vidcs for Il permanent board of medical exam
ination and registration, to be composed of five
members with terms of five wears each. The
members of the board shall meet us often us in
their discretion they may choose, and the pay
of each member shall be five dollars Il day and
travelling expenses. With all the duties de-
volyed upon the board by the act they would
probably be in session Il large portion of the
year. Their pay in the aggregate would amount
to large sum, and according to the act the
whole Of it is to be taken from the pockets of
the medical profession of the State by series
of fees, eNactions and fines for the levying of
which there is. in my judgment, no justification
whatever. If there be an evil in the State of
the magnitude which the act presumcs and
promises, then it should be eNtirpated at the
expense of the public treasury, and not made Il
charge upon the medical profession. 1t would
certainly be unjust to exact fees and charges
from physicians of established professional
character i'll order that the State may be freed
from improper practitioners.
The powers of the board of examination and
registration are widely extended and enlarged
in the seventh section of the act In effect the
members of the board appear to be authorized
to lay the foundation of a new medical school
in Maine, i'll which persons who are not gradu-
ateS of an existing institution. and vet aspire
to the practice of medicine, shall be compelled
to go before the board of registration and be
examined as to proficiency in ''the English
language and the science of anatomy, physioo-
gy, medicine, hygiene, chemistry, taNocology,
surgery, obstetics, and i'll pathology and al
trology."
Ali examinations shall be either wholly writ
ten, or in part written, or in part oral, rs the
said board shall determine. This enlarged pro-
vision might not improbably in time, lead to
a school of medicine in Maine which would inn
pose upon the State class of practitioners as
little qualified for their important duties
those against whom this act is directed. Next
to the constitutional objection to which l have
already adverted. the most serious objection to
the act is the hasty mode of its passage. If for
no other reason than to give the Legislature
the opportunity to reconsider the measure |
would feel constrained to return it as do now
If it be urged that there is no time for recon-
sideraton, answer that that fact of itself is
good reason for the intcrposition of my objec-
ton. An act involving so many grave collsc-
quences to the medical profession, touching at
SO many points the interests, the feelings, and
even the preudices of the people, should not
be enacted under the pressure of haste dur
ing the closing hours of the session.
JOSEPH X. BoDwELL.